War on Want, a.k.a. War on Israel
It appears Hoffman’s offense was to have raised objections at a previous anti-Israel event attended by some of the organizers of the Toynbee Hall launch. What is so appalling about the banning of Hoffman is that an “official statement” was issued by War on Want’s executive director, John Hilary: “War on Want welcomes all members of the public to our events. Mr. Hoffman alone has been told he will not be welcome on Thursday because he is known for causing serious disturbances at public events on this issue.”
Hoffman commented later that when he had raised objections to biased propaganda at another event, the police had been called. This was used as justification for his banning by War on Want. “I heckle the anti-Semites,” he said. “And they call the police so that at the next meeting they can ban me, saying ‘the police had to be called last time.’ And the police are always annoyed to be called out on false pretenses. It’s called ‘free speech — provided we like what you say.’”
To his credit Hoffman went to Toynbee Hall on July 12 and stood outside distributing a leaflet he had compiled, citing errors in Ben White’s book. In a letter seen by the Jewish Chronicle, Ronald Lauder has made it clear that Ben White’s book promulgates the use of the expression “Israeli apartheid” and that this “incites hatred and contempt for the state of Israel.” He added that the recent definition of anti-Semitism by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia states “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination … is a racist endeavor.”
Hoffman’s leaflet refuting many of Ben White’s claims made these points:
Colin Chapman features three times: He is the author of Whose Promised Land, which revives the ancient Christian canard of “supercessionism” — the belief that because the Jews denied the divinity of Christ, God transferred His favors to the Christians while the Jews were cast out as the party of the Devil. This doctrine lay behind centuries of Christian anti-Jewish hatred. …
In April 2000 Nelson Mandela came to London and spoke to the Board of Deputies of British Jews. … [He said]: “Israel cannot be expected to withdraw from the Arab territories which she legitimately conquered when the Arab states wanted to [wipe] her out of the map of the world.” No mention of “apartheid” in Israel — from a man who spent 27 years as a prisoner of the loathsome apartheid regime in South Africa.
To add salt to the wounds of supporters of Israel, Ben White is having an American tour this summer!
The fact is that the followers of Ben White, one of whom made the standard accusation at the lecture that the Palestinian viewpoint is muzzled in Britain because the media are controlled by others (translate: Jews), did not want debate. They wanted to spread the usual mantras about the “genocidal, ethnic cleansing, apartheid Israelis.”
That anyone was banned from the book launch is yet another disturbing case of the left and its radical allies bullying individuals and curtailing free speech. This creeping censorship by an increasingly strident left, along with the proliferation of radical Muslim groups who effectively destroyed the Douglas Murray event, must be challenged at every juncture. Britain’s — and America’s — cherished legacy of freedom of speech is under threat and must not be allowed to die.
They are supposed to be politically neutral, right?
They never have been. Always mindlessly leftwing, they are therefore pro-Palestinian, anti-American, anti-Western generally and of course, anti-Israel. They are naturally anti-Semitic, because that goes hand-in-hand with the lefty agenda.
Remember when “Gorgeous” George Galloway ran it? Refresh your memory here. Galloway is a notorious anti-Semite and generally despicable apology for a man.
How could Alan Hart be a “moderator” in any discussion having to do with Israel?
The British sherry-sippers with the bad dentition are increasingly being less noticed. The UK is so under the islamist and leftist thumbs that it is well on its way to becoming was predicted,ie. an overcrowded insignificant little island in the vast sea of humanity.
The British sherry-sippers
If you’re going to make mindless, fatuous generalisations, try to get at least one thing right: it’s tea sippers.
Mary be very careful when you call Galloway an antisemite. The waste of a human life in question sued in the UK for defamation over it and won easily against a group who did a parody of him that would likely have been perfectly acceptable on this side of the pond. Fair comment and preponderance of evidence is no defense over there.
Mary be very careful when you call Galloway an antisemite
He is one. So are all the others who hold Israel to impossible standards. So are those who believe in the Koran, or respect it, because the Koran itself is disgustingly anti-semitic.
It’s high time for Jews to leave countries like Britain permanently to live in Israel and to leave the Jew-haters to stew in their own hatred of us. We do not need them – and they obviously so not want us.
Hey, leave the koran alone! Just because it was written by the L. Ron Hubbard of the 5th century, encourages mindless slaughter and rewards genocide with the promise of an eternal orgy, that’s no reason to trash it.
Sure, it declares that, as an infidel, I should be beheaded or taxed until I convert…but I probably deserve it. Most likely because I don’t hate Jews with unreasonable fury & have even had a couple Jewish women as lovers.
George Galloway threatened to sue me when I wrote a report about a Sky News special on the war in Iraq. He was on a panel and kept turning to the very mild-mannered Danny Finkelstein of the TIMES and shouting,’You are a partisan for Israel!’ He also challenged Danny about letting others fight their wars for them, to which Finkelstein replied that his family had shed enough blood etc. My article was entitled ‘In America we call this Jew-baiting’ and promptly received notice that a writ would follow if I did not have the report removed. I had just been recovering from breast cancer surgery and did not relish a court battle so it was removed. George continues to go from strength to strength in the UK hosting radio and TV shows.
The meeting at Toynbee House was on July 9th – I was there & personally witnessed Jonathan Hoffman peacefully distributing his leaflets outside.
The organisers of the meeting called the police telling them that Jonathan & a middle-aged woman (who was displaying a poster with the words “War on Want =War on Truth”) were a threat & might try to storm the meeting & disrupt it! A whole minibus with about a dozen policemen in it drew up nearby in Commercial Street. A couple of them got out & came over to speak to Jonathan & the woman who were non-violent and clearly had no intention of storming anything. The police warned them not to obstruct the pavement – all 2 of them…. What a waste of police resources.
Next thing Jonathan and I will have to wear a yellow star when attending London events..
Alen should be slicenced he is a mindless racist.
Isreal should not be bullied nor Palistane.
George continues to go from strength to strength in the UK
I wouldn’t agree there – he’s regarded as a dickhead outside his fanbase of weirdoes. Where is Respect now?
Next thing Jonathan and I will have to wear a yellow star when attending London events..
Don’t be daft.
You’re kidding, right? He is a complete political irrelevance.
Oh please, just get a grip. Some barking mad lefty loonies exclude a jewish activist from their own private event (and thereby rather amusingly avail themselves of the very property rights and rights of free association they seem so keen to deny others) and you are acting as if it is Kristallnacht-on-the-Thames.
I have lots of jewish chums and I don’t think a single one of them is nervously edging towards the airport for the next flight to Tel Aviv. Sheesh.
By me, apartheid is what Obama is doing when he says that Jews can’t live in East Jerusalem. Pots and Kettles and the absence of colour come to mind. As always the actions of the Arabs are turned to make the Jews the guilty ones. Arabs, innocently, build illegally in Jerusalem but it is the Jews who are accused of illegal building when they build legally. The Arabs (and Obama) practice classic apartheid and to defend and justify themselves call Israel an apartheid state.
Jews can’t live where they want and Jonathan Hoffman can’t attend a meeting.
I can see where this is all going. I hope I’m not alone
Adrian
“Mary be very careful when you call Galloway an antisemite. The waste of a human life in question sued in the UK for defamation over it…”
If Mary is in the US, she’s safe. Truth is an affirmative defense to accusations of libel in the US.
Adrian,
That is why I, when told ‘Don’t be daft’ about wearing a yellow star still take these bans seriously. Those of us old enough remember our relatives in Europe first being banned, then thinking enlightened Germany would go through this phase, but then having to wear a star ..Jonathan’s banning is a disgrace and ought to be a wake-up call to moribund Anglo Jewry. The new CST report says anti-Semitic attacks in the UK have reached unprecedented levels.
http://www.thejc.com/gallery/in-pictures-the-rise-antisemitism
debating sharia law is hilarious on its own, like a debate in mad magazine hosted by what me worry. actually british women might look a bit better behind the veil. i am delighted that the british are sinking in their own crap. good.
@16. Perry de Havilland:
You said:
“Some barking mad lefty loonies exclude a jewish activist from their own private event and you are acting as if it is Kristallnacht-on-the-Thames.
Not yet but getting close:
“Jerusalem, July 30 (ANI): Following a declaration by a British government spokesperson that the UK is funding political activities in Israel, the Jewish country has demanded an answer from Britain…
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090730/894/twl-israel-demands-explanation-from-uk-o.html
The British Gov. and its propaganda arm, the BBC are both OPENLY financing and supporting anti-Israel groups inside and outside Israel.
So please, keep the spin for yourself we are nearly not as ignorant and doltish as you tend to believe.
Perry
Fyi emigration from the UK to Israel will be a record this year at about 800 families